Customer Reviews

Release the Hound

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The late, great Hound Dog Taylor was one of the best live acts ever. This CD brings him back in all his ragged, raunchy live glory. Hound Dog's appeal had nothing to do with his modest abilities as a guitarist or singer. His self-assessment was: "They'll say he couldn't play s___, but he made it sound good." Amen. Don't let any references to "sound quality" deter you here -- the plain truth is that Hound Dog's "sound quality" was never that much to begin with, so this CD is a pretty fair representation of what he sounded like live. He never had good equipment, and it wouldn't have mattered if he did. He just wanted everybody to have as good a time as he was having. We did. He had the most fun of any musician I ever saw. Also the most alcohol.

For the uninitiated, the most obvious comparison is Elmore James. The comparison used to annoy Hound Dog, who insisted "I don't sound like no ___ ____ Elmore James!" Well, musically he did, but Elmore James never sounded anywhere near as joyful. `Dog played the same style loud electric slide boogie, but never had a horn section or bass player. Given the low-tech, stripped-down nature of Hound Dog's act, if a bass part was needed, it got played by whoever wasn't playing lead. At times, it sounded like rhythm guitarist Brewer Phillips was playing bass, even though he apparently didn't have a bass guitar. If Phillips was playing lead on one of his songs, `Dog played a passable bass line on his legendarily cheap Silvertone guitar.

It's hard to be fully objective if you ever saw Hound Dog live, because it is impossible to hear this CD without strong visual memories of just how much joy he had and gave. Hound Dog had an impossibly large grin that remained in place no matter how low-down, sad or abused the subject matter of the song was. He was the happiest looking man on earth, despite (or because of?) the fact that The HouseRockers gigged constantly for peanuts.

At times, it seemed that `Dog might be the most easily amused man, too, although again the level of his alcohol consumption might explain it. I recall a show where Blind Jim Brewer was the opening act. `Dog was absolutely beside himself about the fact that the warm-up dude and his rhythm guitarist shared the name Brewer. He kept saying: "We got two Brew' tonight. We got Blind Jim Brew' and ..." By then he was in hysterics. He tried at least three times, but just couldn't get through it without falling out laughing. When he couldn't even say "two Brew" without cracking up, he just went on with the show. You probably had to see it to appreciate it. I wish I could go see him tonight, but I'll treasure this great live CD to remember the good times.

I was chomping at the bit when I heard this was going to be released. This new release of vault material contains 3 studio recordings and 11 live tracks. My appetite was whetted by the 2 unissued live tracks from these concerts included on the Hound Dog Taylor Deluxe Edition. For the uninitiated Taylor's band which featured Brewer Phillips on second guitar and Ted Harvey on drums (Levi Warren deputizes for Harvey on 3 tracks)is the blues equivalent of a garage rock band. Hound Dog's combination of a cheap Japanese guitar and his frenetic slide playing is unforgettable. Most of the tracks are live and although the sound may not be up to current standards, it sounds as good as most bootlegs and the energy of the performances makes up for any sound deficiencies. The live tracks are a mixture of outtakes from the live "Beware Of The Dog" album and various radio broadcasts. Among the unissued tracks is the energetic studio instrumental "Phillip's Screwdriver", a cover of Freddie King's "Sen-Sa-Shun" and the Howlin' Wolf tribute "The Dog Meets The Wolf". Taylor wrenches emotion from his cover of Elmore James' "It Hurts Me Too" and Taylor's autobiographical slow blues "Things Don't Work Out Right". Strong versions of Taylor classics like "She's Gone", "Sadie" , "Walking The Ceiling" and "See Me In The Evening/It's Alright" are among the other highlights. Every track whether an original or cover contains the distinctive stamp of the Houserockers. Taylor's slashing slide guitar and infectious sense of humor shine through making this one of the best vault reissues of the year. Highly recommended!

god bless hound dog taylor. that's all. just god bless his guitar, his voice, his soul and his blues...
I'm a younger blues fan(25) from Chicagoland, and while I'd heard OF Hound Dog Taylor for the longest time, I'd never HEARD Hound Dog Taylor, y'know what I mean?
I read a review in the Illinois Entertainer about this album coming out and they described him as a cross between the blues and punk. That got my attention real quick, as I've also dug on punk rock my whole life...
went out to my local record shop, they had the promo, listened...and holy f&*^% s*^&^!!!! I immediately fell in love!!! It moved me in ways I love to be moved. it touched my heart. I wished to god I had been at the shows on the record. I wished I had gotten to see him play!! why hadn't I known earlier how INCREDIBLE Hound Dog was/is?
Hound Dog's slide is absolutely BLISTERING. his voice is raw and strained. the band(the houserockers), comprised of a drum kit and another guitar(yes, a 3 piece) is unreal. The album cover is a great painting by another favorite musician of mine and Chicago-via-Wales local Jon Langford(ex-Mekons). Inside the album tells some great anecdotal info on Hound Dog and the band and how they played for practically nothing and Hound Dog on a cheap Japanese guitar with a slide made from a brass kitchen table leg! hell yes! Hound Dog is raw and vicious and touxhes your heart all at once. If you dig slide, boogie, roadhouse-juke joint, punk and or blues...hell...just get it and be done with it. get bit by the hound dog and you'll never be the same again...
cheers hound dog

The one thing those who were lucky enough to see Hound Dog Taylor play live all agree with, is that he always put on the best of shows. Like the first live Hound Dog album, "Beware Of The Dog", on this 2004 release, Release the Dog, we can hear Taylor living it up with the audience both before and after he would get into a number, and like on his first live album, you can feel right down to your bones, just how grand he did play live.

If it wasn't for new technology, chances are we never would have gotten to hear this album, as the recordings were all very raw, with lots of tape hiss, etc. But most of that has been cleaned up, and we now get to hear a bunch of his songs live that we never before have, and if your a fan, you will be delighted at what you will hear.

The album, like so many of his past studio LPs, blasts off with an explosion from the Dog's guitar, with the Elmore James cover "Wild About You Babe". This live take is better than the one we hear him play on his debut album, and it's the best song on the album. But every live song on here is excellent, the man just had a knack for playing to a crowd! We get to hear him play "Sadie" with fine results, and another James cover, "It Hurts Me Too", is also tops. Then there is the slower number, "Things Don't Work Out Right", which sounds like a rework of his song "Freddie's Blues". It contains different lyrics - with drummer Ted Harvey adding background talk just like he does on "Freddie's Blues", but the music here is a bit more up tempo, with more of Hound Dog's guitar here than what is heard on "Freddie's Blues".

We also get to hear the original drummer for the Houserockers, Levi Warren on three songs, "She's Gone", "It Hurts Me Too", and " The Dog Meets The Wolf" (a tribute to Howling Wolf), which comes from the first live gig that the Hound and his band ever played outside of the Chicago area.

In addition to the live stuff, this LP also contains three studio recordings. Two are alternative takes of "Walking On The Ceiling" - which contains a nice drum solo by Harvey, and "Gonna Send You Back To Georgia", the song that would later metamorphous into "Give Me Back My Wig". The third studio cut is something that was never released before, "Phillips Screwdriver", an instrumental featuring Brewer Phillips playing a fine lead guitar, as Hound Dog lays down a heavy bass line.

The album closes off with an untitled little rap between the Dog and Harvey, which is priceless. What I reviewed here is the pre-released promo album, I only hope that they include this little gem on the official release.

Hound Hog has been gone for almost 30 years now, so hearing anything unreleased from him is cool. But don't expect something along the lines of the compilation, posthumous album "Genuine Houserocking Music", which was an okay album, but not anywhere as good as this one, which is great! What a true joy for all Hound Dog fans!

"Raw, Rough And Reckless" the back cover proudly proclaims, and that's no lie.

Theodore "Hound Dog" Taylor only released two LPs in his lifetime, but several posthumous albums have added to that sparse legacy, and "Release The Hound" is the latest addition to the Hound Dog catalogue. It brings together 11 previously unreleased live recordings and three studio outtakes, and while this is NOT the place for newcomers to start, those who are already in the doghouse will be delighted by this gritty close to the catalogue of one of Chicago's most legendary bluesmen.

Hound Dog Taylor and his extremely loose bass-less trio sound like they're about to lose it at times, but they never do, and while the sound quality is not excactly stellar, nothing is anywhere near unlistenable.
Hound Dog tears through well-known songs ("Sadie", "See Me In The Evening", "It Hurts Me Too", the instrumental "Walking The Ceiling" which has been equipped with a drum solo) and less well-known ones (the slow grind of "Sitting At Home Alone", a live ten-minute "Things Don't Work Out Right", the tough "Dust My Broom"-ripoff "Wild About You Baby"), and the set ends with a "hidden" track, Hound Dog, Brewer Phillips and Ted Harvey bantering with the audience ("I'm gonna streak tonight", says co-lead guitarist Brewer Phillips, "gonna get buck nekkid!")

We don't know if that particular threat was carried out or not, but it sounds like the audience had a good time either way. Hound Dog fans will, too, once they pick up this slice of supremely gritty, gutbucket blues.

I was turned on to Hound Dog Taylor by a friend in college. I always liked 'Beware of the Dog' but this album is even more exciting. There are some recording imperfections but chances are , if you're a Hound Dog fan, you're already used to this. Regardless, these performances are riveting and loads of fun. Don't wait on this one!

This is a terrific show and probably THE Hound Dog Taylor album to own. This is a fantastic live raw blues, played energetically whilst the band is in 'top condition'.Hound Dog's lazy friendly voice nailing each tune. Plus the bands really in shape too..a neat drum solo, absolutely crankin' slide tones, groovin' bass... fun fun fun !!! Let's get drunk !...I own his other albums [which are very 'raw shows' and possibly a bit too rough for everyday listening].But this CD is a truely great record,thoroughly enjoyable and timelessly exciting. *(Mind you..beware if you are into homogenised white blues)..this set is 'real' electric slide-guitar juke-joint boogie & blues music.Presently on permanent rotation in my car stereo.This is one of the best 'live' blues shows on record ever...I'd say *[I own possibly 6,000 cd's and records].

This CD Jukes,Boogies,Rocks and Rolls!The sounds of Hound Dog Taylor is like Pre-Psychedelic,Elmore James,Blues Rock boogie that came straight from the Cotton fields to mix with the tough urban feel oF Chicago Blues.While my favorite Hound Dog Cd live is still "Beware Of The Dog" this CD is a very Close 2nd!The Hound Dog is Howlin'!

Hound Dog Taylor
Release The Hound

Alligator is the house that Hound Dog Taylor built. On 14 previously unreleased shufflin' boogies, mostly recorded live between 1971 and 1975, he depicts the joy that is the blues using his raw guitar and sloppy vocals. These 70 manic minutes were primarily compiled from radio broadcasts and board tapes. There are imperfections such as hiss and distortion but don't be put off as the sound is remarkable good.

You can't visually witness the band's alcohol-induced, wild entertainment as described in Bruce Iglauer's liner notes but you easily sense it via numbers like "She's Gone". Many of the tunes such as "Wild About You, Baby" feature Taylor's simple musical template. Taylor often gets too wrapped up in a song's hypnotic rhythm, e.g., "See Me In The Evening". However, "Sitting At Home Alone" makes you fall in love with the blues all over again.

If you've already been attacked by the Hound, this collection may not offer enough to be added to your library. Big time Dog fans will want and cherish these historical recordings. Almost 30 years after his death, this disc further proves Hound Dog was not one of the greatest but was one of the best.

-- Tim Holek